You Found Me
by ilovetvalot
Summary: After learning that Ashley Seaver's serial killer father has finally died, Dave allows himself to be coerced into seeing the woman he fell in love with one more time, if only to assure himself that she's alright. What he finds leads him to accept that sometimes love is just meant to be despite all the obstacles you find in its path.
1. Chapter 1

We invite you to check out the newest Kindle publications….**The Estate** and **Inescapable Eye of the Storm **(written by Sarah O'Rourke – the alter ego of ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969!) If you're looking for a sexy romp in the fiction world, then these books are for you.

When desire meets delicious depravity, the only place to be is at **The Estate.** This multi-chapter story draws you into the secretive world of hedonism among the social elite...and refuses to let you leave until you have experienced all the delicious depravity that The Estate has to offer. **Inescapable Eye of the Storm** is the first in a series of FOUR books that will draw the reader into the erotic yet chaos-filled world Abigail Donovan and Colin Storm – and each of them finds out that the storm on the inside is far more dangerous than anything Mother Nature could throw their way!

Both books are available on Amazon/Kindle – just search for Sarah O'Rourke! Check out the author's Facebook page at .com (slash) .507. A link is provided on our profile pages here at fanfiction!

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**You Found Me**

**Chapter One**

"You miss her."

Stiffening in his office chair as he sat facing the window in his office, staring, but not really seeing anything, David Rossi closed his eyes briefly. "Go away, Aaron," Dave muttered, not even bothering to acknowledge his friend behind him. He knew the other man wasn't here to judge him; Aaron didn't do that. He wouldn't. But even after six months, it still hurt to look down into the bullpen and not see that gleaming sun kissed hair of hers. It still broke his heart to see her empty chair at the round table in the war room.

In a word, it was agony and discussing it wouldn't ebb the pain.

Closing the door, Aaron Hotchner slowly took the seat in front of Dave's desk. "It's been six months, Dave," he reminded the other man softly.

"I know how long it's been, Hotch," Dave snapped caustically, his nostrils flaring. "I can count."

"Maybe you need to see her," Aaron urged gently as he leaned forward. Hell, he couldn't deny that this attraction Dave felt for Ashley Seaver had been unexpected. Hell, at first, he'd been downright disturbed by it and the way her resignation had affected his old friend, but as the days had worn on and he'd watched the pain in Rossi's eyes cease to fade, he knew that whatever this was, it wasn't simply a passing fancy. Dave was in love with the young former agent. He was in love in a way that Aaron had never witnessed from the elder man before in any of his marriages.

Rossi wasn't a self-sacrificing man by nature. But, he'd made it clear in action and deed that he was willing to forfeit whatever hopes he might have had for her…for them…in order for her to have a better life. Hotch knew that Dave had told her the truth behind her father's crimes…what the end game would have ultimately been. He also realized that explanation had contributed to her decision to leave the Bureau….to leave Dave.

The elder profiler claimed that there hadn't been a romantic relationship between them, and Aaron believed him. For once, Rossi had tried to make the right decision for someone other than himself. He'd placed Ashley's needs above his own. And it was slowly killing the older man.

"See her?" Dave echoed with a snort, his eyes narrowing at the thought. "What the hell purpose could that serve, Aaron?" he barked miserably, his jaw clenching as images of Ashley's vibrant face flashed in his mind. Hell, how could he ever forget that beautiful woman? She haunted his dreams and invaded his waking thoughts with a frequency that bordered on obsession, try as he might to quell the very thoughts.

Clearing his throat, Hotch shifted in his seat, suddenly finding himself uncomfortable with the news he was about to share. "Dave, I got a phone call a few minutes ago. Actually, I got a couple of phone calls."

Spinning his chair around to face the other man as he heard something he couldn't identify clouding Aaron's voice, Dave met the dark gaze of the Unit Chief. "Has something happened to her?" Dave bit out, his gut clenching as he faced the one man in their office that actually knew him.

"The Warden called from the penitentiary. Ashley's father is dead," Hotch informed him flatly, knowing that beating around the proverbial bush with Rossi at this point would not serve any purpose.

Gripping the arms of his leather chair in a grip that caused the wood to creak, Dave's eyes flashed. "She knows?"

Nodding, Aaron returned softly, "She knows. The second phone call was from her supervisor at the Women's Shelter where she's working. Ashley had used me as a reference when she was hired so they had my number," he explained quietly, keeping his eyes trained on Dave. "She called because she was trying to find out if Ashley had any close friends here at the Bureau. She was concerned about her. She said that Ashley was visibly shaken by the news. She gave her a few days off, but evidently while extremely good at her job and well-liked by her co-workers, Ashley's cultivated her privacy. No one there feels close enough to approach her right now."

Swallowing hard as his gut absorbed the news, Dave whispered, "She's alone?"

"Yeah," Hotch confirmed gravely, "Apparently she is. The question is, are you going to allow that to continue?" Watching as Dave averted his gaze, Hotch sighed. "Look, it's obvious that what you feel isn't going away, Dave. Whether she reaches out to you or not, she needs you. Especially now."

"It's not that simple." Dave shook his head, well aware that he was able to give the other man the answers he was seeking. "Aaron, the only way I've avoided acting on this attraction was by staying the hell away from her. Damn it, for once in my life, I acted honorably."

"What did _she_ want?" Aaron asked quietly.

"She wanted me to be a decade or so younger," Dave snorted, rubbing his fingers against his temple as he worried about the young woman.

Hotch sighed as he barely resisted the urge to mimic the other man's actions. "The age difference mattered to her then."

"Hell, I don't know. I'm the one that brought it up first. I told her it couldn't work."

Raising his eyebrows in what he hoped was mild surprise and not outright shock, Hotch stared at the haggard man. "You ended it before it even had a chance to begin, didn't you?"

"I was doing what was best for her," Dave retorted, his eyes hardening as he faced Aaron, his jaw clenching. "She needed…she _wanted_ a fresh start. I couldn't be a part of that picture," he whispered, the words harder than he first imagined.

"I think you may need to look at the portrait again, Dave. You look like hell. And from what her supervisor told me, she hasn't been faring much better the last few months. According to her, Ashley is really good at what she does, which isn't any big surprise. She was always excellent at dealing with victims. But she's sad and distant. And incredibly private. She won't let herself trust anyone."

"She's afraid of being hurt, Aaron. Wouldn't you be?" Dave defended her immediately, unable to allow anyone, even a man he had known for decades, speak of Ashley in any way other than complimentary.

"Dave, I'm not judging her. I'm sharing what I was told," Hotch stated calmly. "I'm encouraging you to repaint the portrait because this isn't working for either of you."

"Damn Gideon and that fucking paper he wrote all those years ago," Dave cursed, rising to pace behind his desk. "That's what triggered her."

"Dave, as much as I disagree with Gideon's analysis in that article he wrote, that isn't what triggered her and you know it. Her own subconscious memories did that….and her visit to her father. Six months ago, she determined she couldn't live with only knowing half the truth about the events of her childhood…."

"…and I told her everything!" Dave exploded, slamming his clenched fist against his desk, the papers flying wildly from the tsunami of anger. "I turned her world upside down, Aaron. I'm the guy that wrecked her world all those years ago _and_ the guy that did it again six months ago. She quit because of the things I told her, damn it!"

"No," Hotch denied, letting the one simple word hang in the air between them for what seemed like hours but was truly only five seconds. "She quit because she knew she wasn't capable of doing this job without becoming a casualty of it. She was _smart_, Dave. You should be proud of her."

"I _am_ proud of her, damn it!" Dave growled, his temper flaring again, rising in waves. "I just don't want to see her hurt anymore."

"You aren't what's hurting her. You weren't then, and you aren't now," Hotch replied evenly, clasping his hands over his belly. "But if you don't get your ass in gear, you might just lose the one person that's managed to make you happy in more years than I can count. You've spent six months miserable, and, by all accounts, she's been equally unhappy. She needs you _now._ Shove your noble motivations in a box in your head and act like the arrogant know-it-all we all love to hate. _That's_ the guy she needs right now."

"You're encouraging me to go after a woman half my age," Dave declared flatly. "You realize that right?"

"I am encouraging you to be happy….for you both to find some happiness," Aaron countered smoothly, arching one brow as the other man snorted. "If that happens together, so much the better. You're the one that made a mantra out of saying that age was just an arbitrary number," he added as he shrugged.

Running a hand through his graying hair, Dave glared at the younger man. "Fuck," he swore succinctly, whirling to grab his keys off his desk as he stomped toward the door silently.

Not bothering to turn and watch him go, Aaron smiled as the door slammed behind him.

Perhaps now, life might return to business as usual.

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_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

_**Also, we have the Halloween Challenge ready for signups at the forum for anyone interested!**_

_**Also, please check out our brand new multi-chapter story, "Love That Does Not Die". It is a Newsroom/Criminal Minds crossover story focusing on the Will/MacKenzie dynamic with special help from David Rossi. Please give it a try!**_

_**Also, there is a new chapter of "You Found Me" available at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) today!**_

_**As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Two**

"Ashley!" Dave yelled, pounding on the door of her duplex a half hour later, his fist landing against the wood with an intensity that threatened to crack the cheap wood. "Open the door!" he ordered for the second time. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted her blue Honda Civic in its parking slot.

His gut tightened ominously and fear tasted bitter in his mouth as he listened for any sound inside the house. Damn it! He should have moved faster. If she'd done something desperate while he'd wasted valuable minutes being talked into coming her by Aaron, he'd never forgive himself.

"Ashley! Honey, you've got thirty seconds and I'm busting down the damn door," Dave warned, his shoulders tensing as he prayed for her safety and checked under the mat for a spare key. Finding nothing, he called, "You hear me, cara?" Pressing his ear to the door, his heartbeat quickened as he heard a rustling sound behind the door followed by the telltale click of a lock turning.

Catching his breath as the door opened, Dave was momentarily paralyzed by her appearance. What the hell had happened to her? Always thin, she looked downright frail now, her clothes hanging off her body as her dull, swollen eyes lifted to his face. The healthy blush was gone from her full cheeks, now sunken with strain. And none of this had occurred in the past few hours. No, he was staring at months of unhappiness wreaking havoc on her body. "What the hell have you done to yourself, babe?" he groaned, catching her against him, careful to keep his hands light lest her break her fragile bones.

He felt her sob against his chest as he held her against him in the open doorway. "You found me," Ashley cried, her tears falling fast and furious, soaking his dress shirt.

Tightening his arms around her protectively, he bent his head, burying his nose in her hair. She still smelled like honeysuckles in August, he thought distantly. That hadn't changed. "I'll always find you, piccola. Always." Cursing himself a fool for allowing her to suffer alone these last few months, he held her against him, letting her cry.

Walking her backward enough to kick the door closed, he easily picked her up in his arms, her skinny arms wrapping around his neck. God, she was so light…entirely too light, he thought desperately, carrying her toward the couch. Sitting down, he felt her curl around him, her hands clinging to his neck, her nails digging into his skin.

"He's dead! He'sdeadhe'sdeadhe'sdead," she cried, her small voice almost hysterical as she quaked against him. Like a dam bursting, her tears flowed heavily as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. "I t-tried not to c-care," she whimpered. "I tried sooo h-hard," she hiccupped, her breath catching in her throat.

"Shhhhhh," Dave soothed against her ear as he pulled her even closer. "It's all right, sweetheart. I've got you," he murmured as she rested heavily against his chest, her tears slowing as she drew in harsh breaths.

"Don't let go," Ashley begged, the sound of his steady heartbeat against her ear lulling her toward calmness that had been escaping her for months. "Please don't let me go."

"I'm not going anywhere," Dave assured her gently, shifting her in his lap to tuck her hair behind her ear and wipe the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. "That didn't work out so well for either of us last time I tried letting go. We're gonna go with my plan B from here on out."

"Plan B?" Ashley sniffled sleepily, the stress and emotion of the afternoon weighing heavily on her slim shoulders. Turning her face back into his damp shirt, she inhaled deeply, the scent of his cologne reminding her how much she'd missed him over the last half year. "What's Plan B?" she mumbled, her eyes growing heavy as the heat from his body warmed and relaxed her. While her mind was incapable of processing the thought at that moment, somehow her consciousness knew that he equaled safety.

Watching her swollen eyelids drift closed, Dave pressed his lips to her pale forehead. "We'll talk about that after you rest," he whispered, content to feel her filling his arms. Reaching for the throw draped over the arm of the couch, he pulled it over her, tucking the material against her chilled flesh. Her breathing had finally grown deep and even, falling against his neck in a steady rhythm and his heart flipped in his chest as he studied her wan face.

He'd made the wrong decision…letting her slip away from him. Not only had he been gutted by it, but evidently he'd forced her into paying a price as well. One, by all accounts, he thought with a look at her tiny body, she couldn't afford. Pressing his lips to her temple, he shifted them until she was lying against him on the couch, his arm resting possessively around her hip and her head lying on his chest. Sliding his fingers through the silky tresses of her hair, he felt her huff out a contented sigh against his neck.

Even in her sleep, she pressed against his side, her small hand fisting in his shirt as though unconsciously afraid he'd disappear. Covering that hand with his, Dave knew there was little chance of that. Not now. Hearing her husky whimper in her sleep, he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek, smiling when she leaned against his hand and settled almost instantly, the lines in her face smoothing. She might not trust anybody else, but she instinctively believed in him. It was a humbling knowledge and one that he prayed he'd prove himself worth of earning.

Maybe he wasn't what she deserved, but damn if he'd walk away again. Not when she looked like this. Lost and forlorn. Instead of concentrating on the things like his youth that he didn't have to offer her, he focused on those qualities he had in spades. Wealth, security, stability….love. Those he could share with her. He would….if she'd let him. And if she wouldn't, he'd take Aaron's advice and bully her until she did because one thing was clear.

She needed him every bit as he needed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Three**

When Ashley opened her eyes next, the first thing she noticed were the darkening skies outside the dim room. The second thing she noted was the heavy familiar arm circling her waist, anchoring her to a strong warm body, her back pressed flush against his chest. And the third thing she became aware of was that the man behind her was awake, his hand idly stroking her hair, his breath falling against her exposed neck.

Her eyes felt gritty from her tears earlier and her head ached dully, but his presence alone was enough to make those small discomforts barely noticeable. "You're still here," she said, as much to assure herself this wasn't a dream as to let him know that she was awake.

"I promised you I wouldn't let go," he reminded her gently, lifting his head from the small throw pillow he had propped under his head when he heard her hushed voice. "I didn't."

Thank you would have sounded inadequate, so, instead she gave him the truth. "I'm glad," she whispered, gripping the hand resting curled over her hip. "H-how did you know that I needed you?" she asked shakily, unable to turn and face him yet. She realized that she looked like hell. And as bad as she looked, she felt worse. Weak and utterly unable to face one more thing…including his solemn, all encompassing gaze. That was one of the reasons she'd crumbled upon seeing him. She hadn't wanted anyone to find her like this, let alone him of all people.

"The warden at the prison called Aaron. So did your supervisor at work. You'd used him as a reference and she was worried about you. He came to me."

Nodding, Ashley sniffled as she listened to his explanation, his deep voice reminding her how much she'd missed him.

"You should have called me, cara," Dave said softly, sliding his hand from her hip up her arm to her chin, gently turned her face toward his. "I would have come any time you called. You know that, don't you?"

She tried staring at the first button on his shirt, but he pulled her around to face him. "I…we didn't leave things in a way that I thought...I mean, we haven't spoken since..." Closing her eyes, Ashley tried to find a way to string together a coherent thought.

"That was my fault." Dave sighed, grimacing when he watched another tear slide from the corner of her eye. "Listen to me, Ashley. I messed up. I should have kept in touch, but I thought a clean break was best. I was wrong."

"You said you were too old for me and I agreed," she whispered, the long ago argument as fresh as yesterday in her mind. "But I only said that to make things easier. I'd already put you in a horrible position. Breaking down on you and falling apart. Then, I was trying to process what I'd learned about my father….I didn't know what to do. You didn't want me the way I wanted you, Dave. That's my problem, not yours. You aren't responsible for putting me back together again. You shouldn't feel that way either. Your days of looking after poor, helpless Ashley were supposed to be over."

"You aren't poor and you sure as _hell _aren't helpless, piccola," Dave growled, his entire body vibrating with the sound. "I'm here because I don't _want_ to be anywhere else. I pushed you away six months ago because you deserved something better than I thought I was capable of giving you. My mistake was in not letting you decide what _you_ thought was best for you. I used my age as an excuse. It's an obstacle, but it wasn't something I should have put between us."

Burying her face against his shirt, Ashley shook her head, too overwhelmed to try to comprehend what he was saying. All she was certain of was that he was here, solid and real, in front of her. Agonizing months had passed, each one deepening the emptiness inside her rather than the opposite. And now, he was offering her something else. She wasn't sure what it was, but it had to be preferable from this aching loneliness that she'd been suffering.

"You aren't ready for this conversation," Dave muttered under his breath, his hand burying in her hair to hold her against him. "I'm sorry." Her needs first, his mind demanded as her small body fit against his like some missing puzzle piece. She was exhausted and hurt…grieving for a man….a monster, really…that didn't deserve her tears. But, it was what it was. Despite everything he'd done, that man had been her father and he was the only one she'd had. "Tell me what you need from me, cara," he urged against the top of her head, silky wisps of hair tickling his nose.

"I don't want to be alone," she confided, despising herself for the frailty in her voice.

"You aren't," he said firmly. "You won't be," he promised, his arm contracting around her as the phone pealed, the noise jarring in the still room.

"Please, God," she begged in horror, stiffening as the answering machine picked up. "Not another reporter!"

Listening as a masculine voice filled the room, requesting her comment on the demise of the "Backwoods Butcher," Dave winced, glaring at the phone as he reached one long arm out to jerk the cord from the wall. "How many of those have you gotten?" he growled, hating the media with a renewed enthusiasm.

"Half a dozen or so. It must be a slow news day." Ashley laughed bitterly as she shook her head. "Everyone wants the sordid details of my childhood, complete with pictures if I have them. Evidently some reporter dug up the fact that I'd been an agent for a brief time. I guess it adds to the entertainment value. They even got my cell phone number," she confided against his chest, pressing her ear against his shirt. "I threw it out the car window."

"Good for you, sweetheart." Dave smiled against her hair, uncommonly proud of her for that small act of defiance. "I'll deal with them, babe. All I want you to do is rest."

"Not here," she muttered sharply as she shook her head. "If they've got my number and I'm not answering their calls, sooner or later, they're just gonna show up. I can't handle it. I can't!" she whimpered, shaking her head furiously against his chest. "Can you take me to a hotel or something?" she asked frantically. "Anywhere, but here."

"I'll take you anywhere you want to go, Ashley," Dave murmured, frowning at the pure amount of tension he felt radiating from her. "Just relax, sweetheart. You let me handle things for a little while, okay?" he soothed as she nodded against his chest.

Slowly, he felt some of the stress ebbing from her body. Holding her closer, he sighed and wondered how the hell he was going to survive losing her a second time if he couldn't make her see how much she meant to him.


	4. Chapter 4

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Four**

Half an hour later, Ashley huddled in the passenger's seat of his warm SUV as memories from a long ago ride she'd shared with him crowded her memory.

She'd been emotional that evening, too. Overwrought and strung out from nerves. And the same man had stood at the root of that chaotic night, as well.

Her father.

The evil, murderous psychopath with which she shared DNA.

"You're passing all the exits with a decent hotel," she remarked tonelessly, staring out the window as they passed a sign for a Holiday Inn. "I can't afford the Ritz, you know."

"I'm not taking you to any damn hotel; I told you that before we left," Dave reminded her, worried about her stillness. It wasn't normal for a woman as bright and vibrant as her to be this lifeless. "We're going to the cabin."

"Oh," Ashley sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "That's right." She dimly remembered the conversation they'd had….or at least his side of it. She really hadn't spoken much at all as he'd slid a sweater over her shoulders and herded her toward the door. She didn't really remember much at all. It was almost as if the world had crept into slow motion for her after she'd gotten that phone call this morning. Nothing had seemed quite real since then.

The cabin, she thought as her eyes drifted closed and pictured the almost idyllic place in her mind. Secluded in a forest, it permeated warmth and healing. Rossi's escape, she knew he often wrote there. And once, months ago, he'd taken her there and told her all the answers to the questions she'd asked. She'd demanded the truth and he'd reluctantly given it to her. That was the night life had changed for her in so many ways.

In just a few hours, she'd learned with stunning clarity just exactly who her father was and what he'd been capable of doing. That had broken her heart. And hours later, what had been left of the organ shattered when she realized that the feelings she had for the older man weren't going to be returned…not in the way she'd wanted.

So, how was it that here she was again? With him?

Oh, she'd heard his explanation earlier. She even understood what he'd been trying to say. But after so much pain….after trying to pick up the pieces of her ravaged life…she didn't know if she had any energy left to try again. Right now, she just wanted to curl into a ball and disappear from the world.

Except, what if he'd meant it? What if he hadn't been just trying to console her, making meaningless promises that he had no intention of remembering tomorrow?

What if he'd been serious?

"Ashley?" Dave's deep voice murmured. "You still with me, cara?"

Forcing herself to nod, she swallowed painfully. "Yeah," she whispered, the one word crawling harshly out of her raw throat.

"Do you feel like stopping for something to eat or do you just want to take your chances with what I've got at the cabin?" he asked gently, knowing he needed to get some food down her throat. God knew how many meals she'd been skipping, but by the look of her, it had been more than a few.

She shrugged, uninterested in eating. "I don't care."

"The cabin it is, then," Dave decided, his voice as determined as his thoughts. She wasn't up for a restaurant, even an uncrowded one. "I know there's soup and coffee. That will get us through the night. I can go to a supermarket tomorrow."

Twisting her head to look at him in the darkened vehicle, Ashley echoed, "Tomorrow?"

"It's Friday. I thought we'd spend the weekend out here. I'll help you make whatever arrangements you need to make for your…" he trailed off, uncertain how to refer to the man that had trashed Ashley's childhood and attempted to kill her mere months ago.

"He was my father." Ashley exhaled softly, shrugging. "It's okay to say it. I can't change it. It's just a fact."

"I'll do whatever you want me to do," Dave offered huskily, expertly guiding the truck around a steep curve. "If you just want me to have things taken care of, all you have to do is say so." Hell, a quick cremation would be his preference, but the choice was hers.

"Is just dumping his body in a hole and shoveling dirt on him an option?" she asked bitterly, staring out the window. It's what the bastard deserved…wild animals ripping his carcass apart with their teeth seemed like a fitting disposal of his body to her. It was basically what he'd done to his victims.

"It is if that's what you want," he replied calmly, silently realizing that she was speaking from emotion, not rationale.

"I don't know," she said, her voice thick. God, she didn't want to shed any more tears. Too many of those had been shed since that long ago night when she'd learned that her sire was more demon than man.

"Then don't decide now," he responded gently. "At any rate, the media circus won't find you out here. I've already called Hotch and taken off Monday and Tuesday. We can stay until then if you like."

Biting her lip until she tasted blood, Ashley twisted in her seat to stare at the man gripping the steering wheel. "Why are you doing this?" she asked bluntly, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as she tried to hold in abeyance the chill threatening to invade her very soul. "I appreciate it, but we haven't spoken in _six_ months, Dave. Until this afternoon, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. So, tell me, what's changed? Is it pity? Is that it?"

"No," Dave denied calmly. "I'm sorry for what you've been through. Hell, I'm sorrier for what you've still not even gone through yet, too. But, this isn't about pity for me. I swear it isn't, Ashley," he vowed, pulling his eyes away from the rode long enough for him to meet her eyes.

"Then, why?" Ashley spat, surprised at the anger in her own voice.

"You were a profiler, piccola," Dave replied softly, turning his gaze back to the road in front of them as they reached the gravel lane that led to his cabin. "Profile me," he invited.


	5. Chapter 5

We invite you to check out the newest Kindle publications….**The Estate** and **Inescapable Eye of the Storm **(written by Sarah O'Rourke – the alter ego of ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969!) If you're looking for a sexy romp in the fiction world, then these books are for you.

When desire meets delicious depravity, the only place to be is at **The Estate.** This multi-chapter story draws you into the secretive world of hedonism among the social elite...and refuses to let you leave until you have experienced all the delicious depravity that The Estate has to offer. **Inescapable Eye of the Storm** is the first in a series of FOUR books that will draw the reader into the erotic yet chaos-filled world Abigail Donovan and Colin Storm – and each of them finds out that the storm on the inside is far more dangerous than anything Mother Nature could throw their way!

Both books are available on Amazon/Kindle – just search for Sarah O'Rourke! Check out the author's Facebook page at .com (slash) .507. A link is provided on our profile pages here at fanfiction!

* * *

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Five**

Profile him, she thought with a little mental eye roll. Yeah, like that was possible. If there was one thing she'd learned during her time on the team, it was that David Rossi only ever allowed a person to see what _he_ wanted them to see. And to date, he'd shown her nothing except the metaphorical door. "Thanks, but I'd really rather not play pointless games," she muttered, as she turned to face front again, her posture stiff and her face guarded.

"Is that what you think I'm doing, Ash?" Dave sighed as he finally reached the cabin. It had been six months since he'd been here. He'd tried to bring himself to visit several times, but usually by the time he reached the gravel road leading to his property, he changed his mind. Something about the idea of coming back here without her….he hadn't been able to make himself do it.

"I don't wanna argue," Ashley mumbled, fumbling with her seat belt and spilling out of the SUV in an attempt to create some distance between them. To have this conversation, she needed to be able to think straight. Dealing with Rossi unprepared was a fool's mission. And she was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't among them.

"You know," Dave called, killing the ignition and following her out of the vehicle, "we both tried running in opposite directions six months ago and we're right back where we started. Shouldn't that tell us both something, cara?" he asked, circling the black Suburban to stop in front of her. "It didn't _work._"

Skirting around him, Ashley gripped the wood banister tightly as she trudged up the steps. She couldn't talk about this now. Couldn't and wouldn't. So, she ignored him, offering him only a pointed look as she gestured at the locked door.

Blowing out a long breath as he jogged up the steps, he unlocked the door with a twist of his wrist, holding it open for her as she passed. Closing the door behind him, he flipped on the lights, wrinkling his nose as he inhaled the scent of a house that had stood too long abandoned. "I'll open a window," he said when she, too, sniffed the air. "It's been a while since I've been up here," he confessed, lifting the window over the sink. "The musty smell will air out quickly in this weather."

"It's fine," she murmured, surprised that he hadn't been taking advantage of the property he owned. If she was fortunate enough to have someplace like this to hide, she'd rarely leave. "The BAU been busy?" she asked to fill the silence.

"Not particularly." He shrugged, lifting another window on the opposite wall. "Why?"

Frowning, Ashley offered a tiny shake of her head, inwardly confused. "No reason. It all looks the same," she murmured, eyes narrowing on the sink. "Is that my coffee cup?" she asked, spotting the familiar shade of lipstick marking the rim.

Flushing, Dave averted his eyes from her face. "Yeah, I said I hadn't been up here in awhile," he said under his breath.

"You haven't been up here since I…since we…" she trailed off, comprehension dawning suddenly as she turned her head sharply to stare at him in surprise.

"What would you like to eat?" Dave asked, changing the subject as he opened a cabinet. "There's soup…chili…"

"I'm not hungry," Ashley grimaced, the thought of food rolling her stomach and overtaking any other thoughts that had been creeping in.

"When was the last time you ate?" Dave asked, his eyes boring into hers, daring her to lie to him.

Ashley sighed as she shrugged. "I…I don't remember."

"You're eating," Dave said flatly, reaching for a can of soup and a box of crackers. "Chicken noodle shouldn't be too heavy," he muttered, glancing at the label.

Some arguments just weren't worth having, Ashley thought tiredly. "Fine," she conceded, rubbing her hands across her aching eyes. "Chicken noodle is fine."

"Why don't you go take a bath, Ashley," Dave suggested quietly as he watched her shoulders sink further into her body. "You know where everything is."

Eyes widening for a second, she shook her head. "I didn't even pack a bag before we left," she groaned, dropping her chin to her chest as she shook her head. "I was just in such a hurry to get out of there and…"

"You didn't have clothes the last time you stayed here either. Just go in the closet and pull on something of mine," Dave said carelessly, searching the cupboard for a pan that he knew was there. "It's not a big deal."

In spite of her earlier nap, Ashley was exhausted, physically and emotionally. "Thank you, Dave. I'll just be a few minutes," she said, turning and making her way up the stairs and into his bedroom. Biting her lip as she glanced at the still rumpled bed, she shook her head.

Nothing made sense, then or now, she thought privately, going into his closet and reaching for a soft large grey tee shirt. Right now, she couldn't concentrate on that, however. At the moment, her biggest goal was just to keep breathing past the pain.

Backing out of the closet, she threw the shirt on the end of the big bed and kicked off her ballet flats and shimmied out of her jeans and soiled shirt. Tossing them in the corner, she grabbed the clean shirt and padded toward the en suite bathroom, dropping the tee shirt on the vanity along one wall. For having all the coziness of a cabin, she momentarily took a second to thank God that Rossi still liked luxury. Bending to turn on the faucet, she waited impatiently, shedding her bra and panties and waiting until it was half filled with steaming water before slipping inside and leaning her head back against the fiberglass tub.

Soaking in the restorative water, she hovered on that fine edge between consciousness and slumber, aware only of her slowly loosening muscles. At some point, she must have dozed off completely, however, because she was jarred awake by the sound of a heavy fist falling against the door, Dave's near frantic shouts blaring in her ears.

"Damn it, Ashley. Answer me or I'm coming in," he demanded roughly, the pounding ratcheting up another notch as she sat straight up in the water.

"I'm here!" she called back, wiping the water off her face as she splashed toward her towel. "I fell asleep!"

"Damn it!" she heard him curse. "Are you _trying_ to kill me? Get the hell out of there before you drown!" he ordered imperiously.

Rolling her eyes at his theatrics, she rose from the water and wrapped one of the fluffy grey towels around her damp body before stepping out of the tub. Steadying herself against the vanity as his muffled oaths continued, she sighed, grabbing another towel and vigorously rubbing it against her wet head. "You TOLD me to go relax!" she yelled back, the urge to defend herself winning the battle against her common sense. "Just like you TOLD me things could never work between us!" she continued, letting the towel fall to the floor as she jabbed her arms through his oversized shirt and stomped to the door, wrenching it open and facing him.

"So, why don't you make up your fucking mind what it is you DO want, Rossi," she demanded as his eyes darkened on her. "And do it fast," she shouted, "because frankly, your multiple personalities are driving me nuts!"

* * *

_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

_**Also, we have the Halloween Challenge ready for signups at the forum for anyone interested!**_

_**Also, please check out our brand new multi-chapter story, "Love That Does Not Die". It is a Newsroom/Criminal Minds crossover story focusing on the Will/MacKenzie dynamic with special help from David Rossi. Please give it a try!**_

_**Also, there is a new chapter of "You Found Me" available at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) today!**_

_**As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Six**

Relieved to see some color back in her cheeks even if it was an angry flush, Dave met her flashing eyes. "You really want to have that conversation now?" he asked warningly. "I'll oblige you, if that's what you want."

Pressing her lips together as she faced him, well aware of the dangerous territory she was barreling into headfirst, Ashley inhaled deeply. Did she? He'd offered her an out…perhaps discretion really was the better part of valor. "No," she said after an electric moment. "No," she repeated again with another small shake of her head. "You said I needed to eat," she reminded him.

Nodding once as he tried to ignore the way his shirt molded against her curves, Dave turned toward the bedroom door. "Then, c'mon. I'll feed you," he said, leaving her to follow him as he made his way back down the stairs and tried to get a handle on the fear that still clouded his mind. Damn it, he hadn't meant to yell at her. When he'd realized how long it had been since she'd disappeared upstairs and gone to check on her and found the bathroom door separating them locked, he'd panicked, allowing himself to visualize the worst of outcomes. Take an emotional man in love and combine that with pure fear in its rawest form…and you got a hell of a reaction from him.

"Go on into the den," he suggested over his shoulder as he reached the bottom of the staircase. "I'll bring you a tray," he muttered, quickly heading into the kitchen.

Silently cursing his still trembling hands as he ladled up a helping of the thick soup, he shook his head. "Get a grip, Rossi," he mumbled softly to himself. "She's safe." Dropping a handful of crackers on the plate, he reached for the coffee pot, wondering briefly if he should spike it with a shot of whiskey. Something stopped him from making that decision. He wanted her fully rational and coherent if they broached the issue of his feelings tonight, no alcohol between them to cloud her judgment. Or his.

Pouring two cups of plain black coffee, he dropped them on the tray with the bowls of soup. Adding a bag of chips, he carried it into the darkened den and slid it on the coffee table. "Dig in," he invited, reaching for the television remote to offer them some background noise. Flipping through the channels, he avoided the news outlets, settling on a sitcom marathon of some kind. The canned laughter would fill the silence, he thought, dropping the remote between them on the couch as he watched out of the corner of his eye as Ashley lean forward to snag a bowl.

Purposefully concentrating on his own food rather than on scrutinizing how many bites she took, he tried to think of something to discuss. Unfortunately, everything he wanted to say would not be conducive to her eating a healthy dinner, so, wisely he kept his mouth shut.

Once she forced herself to take the first bite from the steaming bowl, Ashley realized how hungry she really was. Bland, but filling, she kept her spoon moving into the soup until she scraped the bottom of the bowl. Nibbling her crackers as she stole glances at Dave, she wondered what the hell he was thinking. Was he regretting showing up at her apartment? Did he know how much she'd missed him these last months? Had he missed her, too? He'd said he had, but had those been empty words to soothe her?

"I can hear you thinking over there, cara," Dave said softly, keeping his eyes on the soft glow of the television screen a few minutes later.

"You haven't even looked at me," Ashley replied quietly, her bare legs curled underneath her. "How would you know?"

"I can feel the steam radiating from your ears," he deadpanned, leaning forward to deposit his own empty bowl on the table. Stretching his arm across the back of the couch, he finally looked at her. "You ate," he said, pleased with her.

"I guess I found my appetite." She shrugged, her fingers gripping the mostly empty plate.

Tugging it from her with his fee hand, he dropped it on the table with a quiet clatter that seemed to echo in the room before settling back against the couch again. He could see she was uncomfortable, her blonde eyebrows furrowed in concentration. He knew she was doing her best to discern his motivations. Hell, he couldn't blame her. "You needed to find it," he said in response to her comment. "You've lost more than enough weight."

Shifting self-consciously, her shoulders lifted and fell stiffly. "There've been a lot of changes in my life. I guess I haven't been keeping a very healthy diet."

"The way I've heard it, you've been living on coffee and nerves," he remarked, carefully keeping the censure from his voice.

"My boss and ex-boss have big mouths," Ashley muttered, reddening.

"You like the new job?" Dave asked, avoiding comment on her statement.

A brief smile passed Ashley's lips at that as she nodded, her current employment a topic that always brought her a sense of accomplishment. "I actually do. I feel like I'm making a difference there. I'm still using my degree, just differently."

"Good," Dave said as he nodded. "You're a therapist for battered women and their children, right?"

"That's where I started. I was promoted to a case manager last month," she informed him. "Less one on one, but I'm able to make recommendations to the court now. I'm better able to keep our clients safe. It's rewarding."

"I'm glad you've found something that makes you happy, cara," Dave replied, genuinely relieved. "But that doesn't explain why you look like this. This is more than just grief from the events of today."

"What do you want me to say, Dave?" Ashley asked nervously, lowering her eyes to her hands. "Do you want me to say the last six months have been a non-stop party? They haven't."

"I think I figured that out," he replied patiently. "I want you to tell me the truth. Just the truth."

And as she forced her eyes back to his, she wondered if he knew just exactly what he'd asked for from her.


	7. Chapter 7

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Seven**

"You want to know the truth," Ashley whispered, her breath catching in her chest as she tried to swallow. "I don't know what happened to me, Dave. Six months ago I feel like I lost my anchor. I know that's not an onus you deserve to wear around your neck, but that's how I feel. One day, you were there and the next – poof!" She snapped her fingers, the sound a sharp crack in the otherwise still room. "Gone! I could have handled you saying that you didn't think a relationship could happen between us, but I never suspected that it meant you no longer wanted to be a part of my life. Add that to the subsequent nightmares I had after my memory was unlocked about my father and the knowledge that I was supposed to be the ultimate kill and I guess I skittered out of control. I lost weight. I lost interest. I focused on what I did have which was my new job," she explained in a rush. "Is that enough truth for you or do you want me to keep going?" she asked harshly, eyes narrowing.

"I wanted you to have the fresh start you needed," he replied softly, sighing as he realized how his supposed good act had been less than sterling. "I should have reached out…I should have checked in with you. Hell, I shouldn't have let you go to begin with," he growled, angry at himself for his contribution to her misery and angry at her for not finding a way to talk to him. "Communication is a two way street, though, Ashley. Why didn't you reach out to _me_?"

"Maybe because I already felt like enough of a burden," she snapped, her hand shaking as she pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Do you have any idea how it feels to _not _be wanted? To not fit anywhere you are? To be the outsider in every, single situation?"

"Sweetheart, that's not…"

"True?" Ashley snorted, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, Dave, it is," she insisted, lips pressing together tightly for a moment, a white line of anger and bitterness. "Let's see, dear old dad's only interest in his only child was the stuff nightmares are made of. I should know since I'm having them. Mom couldn't bear to look at me until the day she finally crawled into a bottle and didn't crawl back out again. See, I was just one more painful reminder of an epically bad decision on her part. I never fit in at school because no matter what I did, I couldn't outrun where I came from. And don't even get me started on the Bureau. I was a walking, talking freak show there! But, I had you!" she said, raising her voice as she jabbed a finger into his chest. "And because of that, I had something to hang on to. Right up until I didn't! Did it get rough being the savior to the serial killer's daughter, Rossi? Pressure finally get too much to take? It's okay," she sneered, tilting her head as she analyzed his expression. "In the end, you weren't any different from anybody else! But that's fine," she said hoarsely, her chest heaving as she landed another blow against his solid chest, "because now the big bad monster is DEAD. It's done! It's over, isn't it? When you think about it, being here is the perfect end cap to his pathetic life, isn't it? Full fucking circle!"

Catching her in his arms as she fell against him, his arms hardened around her waist when she struggled against him.

"Let me go!" she sobbed hoarsely, pushing against his shoulders as he held her closer, seemingly impervious to her blows.

"Hell, no," Dave denied huskily, shifting them both as he settled deeper. "Not again," he whispered against her ear. "I screwed up once. You can yell and scream, kick or bite…hell, you can keep attempting to beat the hell out of me if that's what you really want, piccola, but I'm not going to let go again."

Her meager store of energy depleted, she sagged against him a few seconds later, passively allowing him to pull her into his lap. Too weary to bother with modesty, she eyed the exposed flesh of her thigh as his shirt twisted around her hips. "Damn you, Dave," she whispered, leaning her head heavily against his shoulder as his hands stroked over her arm, slowly sliding up and down in a soothing motion.

"I very probably already am, tesoro," he murmured against her temple. "I think I fell into hell six months ago and tonight is the first time since that I've felt even close to normal."

Ashley sniffled as she shook her head. "Not even I am so fucked up that I think _this_ is normal."

"You aren't fucked up, Ashley," Dave replied, his tone heavy but warm. "You aren't. You've gotten shoved into a lot of situations that might be, but you are perfectly normal, beautiful woman. Your reactions are understandable. They're warranted. Mine weren't. Mine were based on fear. Plain and simple. I can't go back and change them. God knows, I would if I could. All I can do is try to convince you now of how much you mean to me."

Drawing back to look into his eyes, Ashley bit her lip as she searched his face.

"Don't do that," Dave complained, smoothing his thumb against the lip her teeth worried. "One day you're gonna bite it in half if you keep that up."

Impulsively catching his thumb between her teeth, she watched his eyes darken and his breath catch.

"Ashley," he breathed as her soft, wet tongue stroked the pad of his thumb. "Babe, that is a _very_ bad idea. I'm trying to be a good guy here," he groaned as her lips surrounded him and sucked gently.

"And how did that work out for either of us the last time I was here?" she murmured, nipping his flesh, her eyes never wavering from his.

His arms contracted around her even as he said, "This isn't the right time. You aren't ready."

Releasing his thumb, Ashley pressed herself to the warmth of his body. "You tried making decisions for me six months ago and I spent every day since lonely and unhappy. Do you really think it's smart to try doing that again?"

"God," he growled, burying one hand in her hair and guiding her mouth to his. Silently promising that he'd stop after a taste…just a taste, he never factored in her reaction. The greedy sound she made deep in her throat as she scored the nape of his neck with her nails…the way she slid sinuously against him as she coaxed him into deepening what was meant to be a mere brush of her lips. He definitely wasn't prepared for the incredibly sweet stroke of her tongue against him, inciting him to near madness with every playful foray into his mouth.

It only took a few seconds to realize that somehow he'd meandered into very, very dangerous territory.


	8. Chapter 8

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Eight**

She wasn't aware that she'd moved to straddle his lap until she felt the hard ridge of his erection rocking against her panty clad mound. Pleasure registered first, that wonderfully firm friction being applied just where she needed it most. Rocking against him, she heard him groan roughly against her lips as his hands moved to bracket her hips, attempting to still her wanton undulations.

And that panicked her. He couldn't stop! He couldn't dare try to backtrack now, could he?

Greedily sucking her tongue into her mouth, she pressed her breasts against his chest, her nipples hardening into diamond-like buds against him. "Don't stop," she whispered between drugging kisses, her body tightening to a state of painful arousal. "Please," she whimpered, dragging her mouth along his jaw line.

Jesus, she was killing him, he thought desperately as she writhed against him again, her compact body nestling him in just the right places. "Ashley, you're tired and emotional. This isn't the time…"

Cutting him off with another mind-blowingly intense kiss, she shook her head. "No," she denied. "Not this time. You don't get to tell me how to think or feel. All you need to do is cooperate," she whispered, her fingers flying down his shirt, flipping open buttons until she met bare flesh. Nipping one flat brown nipple, she heard his audible gasp. "You want me," she murmured. "You can say differently, but your body speaks louder," she challenged, moving her slim hand to cup the heavy erection riding behind his Levis.

"Of course I want you," Dave snapped, his entire body tightening at her touch. "I wanted you six months ago. I've wanted you every night since then. That doesn't mean we should hop into bed at the first available opportunity," he groaned as her hot mouth moved against his neck, coaxing him toward madness. If she ever realized how close he was to losing control, he was doomed.

"I want this," she breathed, rubbing her aching mound against the hard ridge of his shaft. "I need this," she moaned breathlessly. "I hurt and I ache and you can make all that stop," she accused him roughly. "You!"

"Damn it," Dave ground out, palming the firm globes of her ass as he rose from the couch, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist. His groin ached as he quickly climbed the ]stairs to the bedroom, each step bumping her against his cock exquisite torture. Dropping her in the center of the mattress, his breathing was labored as he stared down at her. "We shouldn't do this, Ashley. Not when you're upset and off balance," he repeated, grasping at straws as he tried to get through her desire riddled mind.

"I want the ache to go away," Ashley whispered, holding his gaze as she moved her hand down her body to the damp panties between her legs. "I'm so wet," she breathed. "So swollen," she confided huskily, her slim fingers probing her folds through the slick material.

"God," Dave groaned raggedly, watching as her hand slowly slid underneath the hem of her underwear.

"Mmmm," she whimpered, arching her hips into her light touch as she reached for him with her other hand. "Just help me, Dave," she begged.

He could feel his good intentions slowly dissolving into mist as he watched her undulate against her fingers. "Christ, that's hot," he growled, his body tightening as he watched her touch herself. One knee hit the bed before he realized he was moving and almost instantly, he was stretched out beside her, one large hand brushing the tee shirt up her belly. "So sexy," he breathed, inhaling her musky scent.

"I'm hot," she whimpered, pulling her hand away from herself to raise her arms over her head.

Hell, he knew it was a mistake, but he couldn't stop himself from grasping the soft edges of his tee shirt and pulling it over her head. Groaning aloud, he couldn't deny that her pale body was perfect. Milky white breasts were tipped with the most delicious strawberry nipples he'd ever seen. "You're gorgeous," he whispered, reverently cupping one heavy peak and weighing it in his hand.

Blinking slowly in response to his compliment, Ashley held her breath and pushed her breast against his hand. As if pulled by an invisible cord, she watched his dark head lower to lick slowly at the hard crest. "Mmmmm," she moaned when his mouth opened over it, sucking it gently into his hot, wet mouth, his tongue swirling erotically over the nipple. "Yes," she cried out when his teeth scraped the sensitive flesh, her core clenching painfully.

"Oh, baby," Dave growled softly, feeling her stomach muscles quiver beneath his hand. Sliding it over her midriff, he snagged her panties with two fingers, pulling them down her legs when she lifted her ass off the bed. Moving to lick her other breast, he captured her slim hand and pulled it back to her saturated core. "Show me," he demanded huskily. "I want to watch you touch yourself."

His smooth voice was like a shot of whiskey to her system, jolting her into a state of hyper-awareness. Compulsively obeying him, she dipped her fingers inside her wet folds, skating the pad of her forefinger against her clit. "Ahhhhhh," she gasped, the familiar tingle of arousal skittering up her spine.

"Oh, yeah, cara," Dave growled in approval. "That feels good doesn't it," he whispered against her belly, his hot eyes glued to her gleaming flesh. "Do it again, baby. Slowly," he demanded, keeping his voice low as he watched her fingers move to follow his instructions.

"Oh, God," Ashley moaned, his warm breath fanning her abdomen. "I'm so horny," she confessed, her voice trembling as his soft lips moved against her stomach, kissing a path back to her breasts.

"I know, sweetheart," he crooned, his mouth kissing a path over her mounds and up her neck to hover at her lips. Kissing her gently, he pushed her hand more firmly against herself. "One finger, babe. Sink one finger inside," he whispered, watching her eyes dilate as she complied. "How's that feel?" he whispered against her cheek as her hips rocked off the bed.

"Not enough," she whimpered. "I need more. I need you," she begged.

"Not yet." Dave shook his head, tweaking the tip of one breast between his fingers and pulling a shiver from her. "Not this time."

"Take off your clothes," Ashley pouted, using one hand to push his unbuttoned shirt off his shoulder.

Dave laughed against her neck, squeezing his eyes shut as her scent rose to torture him again, thick and sweet. "Babe, if I lose any more than the shirt, I'm going to end up fucking you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," she grumbled, nipping his lower lip. Slowly pulling her hand from her pussy, she lifted her fingers to his lips, stroking the damp digits against his mouth. "At least taste me and see what you're missing."


	9. Chapter 9

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Nine**

Rossi's eyes darkened as she rubbed the pads of her fingertips against his lower lip seductively. Moaning softly as the tip of her forefinger disappeared between his lips, she felt his tongue swirl, his teeth holding her prisoner. She held her breath as a raw sound of pleasure rumbled in his chest.

"Good enough to eat," he said roughly, releasing her. His eyes slowly caressed her face, her flushed cheeks and pouty lips as beautiful as her smoky eyes. No woman had ever challenged him as this one did, pushing him to the brink of sanity.

"Then what's the problem?" she asked softly, holding his eyes in a moment crackling with tension. Why did he persist in resisting something they both obviously wanted? Why the hell couldn't he be a normal guy and take what was offered?

"The problem is that you've had a traumatic day, sweetheart," Dave replied, carefully brushing her hair from her face. "What the hell kind of asshole would I be to take what you're offering to me when you're vulnerable? You think that's how I want you to remember making love with me?"

"I want this," she stated firmly, lifting a hand to stroke his jaw. "I wanted it six months ago and I still want it now."

"Then you'll want it in a week from now when the shock has worn off and you realize I'm still here," he countered, hissing through his teeth as her other hand stroked his bare chest, her nails scraping through his chest hair.

"Or," she whispered, pushing up on her elbows to stare him in the eye, "we could both stop trying to avoid the inevitable. Here. Now," she demanded, leaning forward to brush her lips against his.

Gasping as her teeth tugged at his lower lip, Dave parted his lips, meeting her warm tongue with his own. Lifting a hand to bury in her silky hair, he tugged the elastic band free and felt her soft tresses slide over his fingers. She was persistent; he'd give her that, he thought wildly as her naked breasts met his chest, the hardened nipples scraping his flesh erotically. God, she was heaven to kiss, the part of his mind that was still working whispered.

Cupping his neck as she fell backward onto the mattress, she held him tightly. For months, she'd imagined this, being in his arms…feeling his body moving against his. And now, she was there. Later, she might regret clinging to him, begging wordlessly for these passionate moments. But here and now, all she could concentrate on was his lips eating hungrily at her mouth and his hands exploring her body with a thoroughness that should have embarrassed her.

Tomorrow, he'd swear her kisses had been laced with some narcotic, robbing him of his doubts and protests, drugging him into submission. Trailing his lips down her neck, he felt her fingers contract in his hair as she turned her head, lifting her shoulders from the mattress as she tried to prolong the contact. Tracing the line of her collarbone with his tongue, her low cry of pleasure vibrated through him, heightening his own pleasure. While he refused to make love to her, leaving her unsatisfied wasn't an option either. "Easy, sweetheart," he whispered around the tightly puckered peak of one breast. "Just relax," he soothed, stroking her other nipple with his thumb as she shuddered.

"Mmmm, yessss," she whimpered as his tongue worried the breast between his lips. Shifting her legs restlessly, she arched her pelvis against his heavy thigh, trying to alleviate the empty ache between her legs.

Feathering kisses down the flat planes of her stomach, he paused at her navel, whirling his tongue around the indentation, exulting when Ashley released another breathy moan. Dragging his lips lower across the milky skin of her abdomen, he growled as he reached her swollen mound, downy curls damp with her need.

Forcing himself to look up at her face, he murmured, "If I touch you know, cara, neither of us can take it back. Be sure about this," he urged, holding himself still as he waited for her heavy lidded eyes to find his.

"I'm very sure," she whispered, watching as his eyes gleamed for a moment before he lowered his head. Gasping as she felt his thumbs gently part her folds, the sensation of his tongue against the heart of her sent a jolt of awareness surging through her. "Oh, God," she cried out as his mouth swept over her, tasting and sampling her flesh. Lifting her hips as mouthed her, she felt his tongue plundering her depths. "Mmmm, yeah," she panted when he flicked over her swollen nub with the tip of his tongue.

"Is that what you like, cara?" he whispered, repeating the motion as he slid a finger into her tight passage, the soft walls embracing him. "Is that what gets you off?" he growled, her flavor wild and tangy inside his mouth, hardening his already swollen cock. He was beyond the point of pained arousal, sporting a perpetual hard-on since he'd forced himself to walk away from her months ago.

"Yes, yes, yes," Ashley bit out, lifting her hips against his mouth, relishing every wicked brush of his tongue against her. "Don't stop," she begged, her neck arching against the bed as his lips drew on her tightened bud, alternately suckling and swiping it with his tongue while his fingers curled inside her, seeking out that hidden spot deep within her that made her toes curl against the bedspread.

Groaning as she strained against his mouth, he cupped her thigh with his free hand, pushing it wide as he drank deeply from her, her juices thick and sweet against his tongue. He could feel her body tightening, her movements become sharp and needy as her breath came in shallow gasps. Swirling his tongue around her, he felt her nails against his scalp as she rocked against his mouth.

"Fuck!" she wailed, her voice desperate. "Oh, fuck, Dave!" she moaned as her release hovered just out of reach. "Please!" she pleaded, needing that final push toward ecstasy, that little nudge that would send her careening into bliss.

Suckling sharply at the distended nubbin throbbing against his tongue, Dave thrust his fingers deeply one last time as she shattered, her core convulsing around him as she creamed against his lips, her hoarse scream of fulfillment echoing in the bedroom around them.


	10. Chapter 10

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* * *

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Ten**

Ashley awakened to the gentle splatter of raindrops against the window. Opening her eyes, she stared across the darkened room and stared at the wet window. The plop, plop, plop of fat raindrops sliding against the glass was soothing. Relaxing as she snuggled against the warm body behind her, she smiled as David Rossi's arm contracted around her waist, his hand heavy and possessively splayed against her naked belly, his breath warm and steady against her shoulder.

She ordered herself to enjoy these peaceful moments. If experience had taught her anything, it was that it wouldn't last. Soon enough, he'd wake up, probably contrite about what they'd shared. He'd tell her that despite how much he'd enjoyed their time together, that it was over. Knowing Dave, he'd offer to be her friend. He'd probably even make a few perfunctory phone calls to check on her over the next few weeks.

And then, she'd be alone.

Again.

Swallowing hard, she fought the tears threatening to sting her eyes. She should be used to the feeling of being alone by now. It shouldn't still make her stomach sink and her toes curl. It shouldn't terrify her like this.

Behind her, Dave opened his eyes when he felt her shudder in her arms. Watching as she turned her face into the pillow, her sob muffled, but audible, his heart broke. Lifting himself up on one elbow, he pressed his lips to one rounded shoulder. "Ashley? Cara, turn over," he implored her, covering her sheet clad hip with his hand and urging her toward him.

Reluctantly rolling toward him, Ashley kept her eyes closed, unable to look in his eyes and see the regret she knew would be facing her.

"Talk to me," he whispered, smoothing his thumb over her high, wet cheekbone. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," she murmured faintly, dipping her head and tucking her nose under his chin, unsure how to explain herself without sounding like the needy, emotional woman she was.

"Sweetheart, you are a beautiful woman, but a lousy liar," he muttered against her hair. "Now open your eyes and tell me what's on your mind."

"I'm fine," she mumbled, inhaling deeply as his arms closed around her, shifting her over him. Gasping as her body settled above his, she felt him cup her cheeks and force her face up to his.

"That's better," he sighed. "At least I can see your face again." Feeling her squirm against him, he groaned. "Keep wriggling like that and you're gonna have more problems than just talking to me, babe," he warned, dropping one hand to still her hips. "Is this about last night?" he asked softly. "You having regrets?"

"No!" she denied instantly, her cheeks reddening as she remembered how he'd lingered over her, making love to her with his mouth. Her body went hot at the memory and she shivered against him. "It would have been better if you'd let me…"

Cutting off whatever she'd been about to say, Dave covered her lips with his, silencing her in the most effective way he'd found. Tangling his hand in her hair, he anchored her to his mouth, gently kissing away those shadows in her eyes in the only way he knew how.

Brushing the back of his hand against her cheek when she lifted her head a few minutes later, Dave heard her contented sigh, her head dropping back to his chest. "That's better," he whispered when her body relaxed completely against his. "Babe, tell me what's on your mind," he prompted gently, smoothing circles against her bare back, her skin soft and warm against his palm.

"No matter what I say, if I tell the truth…if I'm honest, it makes me sound like some kind of clingy, needy leech," Ashley whispered, rubbing her own patterns in the hair on his chest. She hadn't noticed how furry he was last night, but now, she was noticing all kinds of things she hadn't taken the time to note before. Like how when he was serious, his eyes darkened to the color of a shining onyx…or how his breathing changed when he listened intently to something.

"If you understood how much I've missed you these last months….how empty I've felt, you would know how utterly asinine I think that statement is," Dave replied deeply, toying with a cool strand of her blonde hair, rubbing it between his forefinger and thumb. "Half the team isn't even speaking to me and the half that is? Let's just say that they're actively plotting an unfortunate accident in the field, I think."

Rubbing her cheek against his warm skin, Ashley listened to his soft statement and heard the honesty within them as his jean clad legs tangled with hers underneath the covers. "I know you said you missed me, but…."

"It was deeper than just missing you. I ached, Ash," he confessed huskily. "My ego got bruised pretty badly when you mentioned our age difference that night, and I thought I was doing the right thing when I kept my distance. I wanted you to have the one thing I couldn't offer you…more time."

"Having all the time in the world doesn't really matter if you spend it lonely," she whispered against his neck.

"The way I've heard it, I wasn't the only one miserable. And from what I've seen, you've let it affect your health," he growled as his hands spanned her tiny waist.

"I haven't had much of an appetite," she said with a slight shrug. "The prison was keeping me informed of my father's decline, and we were….we weren't talking. It was all just too much. The people at work were nice….they really respected my privacy. I can't believe Mary called Hotch though," she muttered as she grimaced. "I would have been okay."

"Thank God she did, or I'd still be sitting at my desk, making the same foolish choices," Dave replied, combing his fingers through her hair again, unable to resist the silky touch.

"I…I'm sort of confused, Dave," Ashley said, forcing herself to look at him. "This…what happened last night…it was…"

"A beginning, Ashley. It was a beginning if you'll let it be. I know the chances of making a relationship between us work are pretty dismal. I know that we have a lot of years between us. I know that you've got a lot of baggage. So do I," he admitted. "But we're not happy, cara. Neither of us are."

"You….you want to try to have a relationship?" she asked shakily. "A real one? Not just…"

"Sex?" Dave asked knowingly. "Ashley, why do you think I stopped when I did last night?"

"I thought you didn't want me…that way," she whispered, blushing.

"Oh, I want you," he clarified. "But I wanted to prove to you that this is about far more than just easing a physical need. I don't just want you, Ashley. I want _us_."

* * *

_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

_**Also, we have the Halloween Challenge ready for signups at the forum for anyone interested!**_

_**Also, please check out our brand new multi-chapter story, "Love That Does Not Die". It is a Newsroom/Criminal Minds crossover story focusing on the Will/MacKenzie dynamic with special help from David Rossi. Please give it a try!**_

_**As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Eleven**

Her breath caught in her chest as she felt her heart pound tightly against her ribs. Of all the things she had been expecting him to say, those words had not even entered the periphery of her mind.

But while she might not have been anticipating such an admission, she couldn't help but feel a sense of elation as her mind finally comprehended the meaning. Her worries had been for naught, her inner voice chided her…and if she wasn't mistaken, that voice sounded eerily similar to Penelope Garcia.

Shaking her head as she attempted to clear her thoughts, Ashley blinked rapidly as she pushed her hand against Dave's strong chest and stared up at him. His eyes merely met hers, waiting patiently as she attempted to form words.

Swallowing hard, Ashley felt her lips drawing up involuntarily. "You sure you know what an "us" means, Dave? It's a big step when we've not even…."

"But we will, babe," Dave assured her, his fingers stroking delicate patterns against her hips as he pulled her even closer. "We've got a lifetime together." Pausing for a moment, he tilted his head as he stared into her melting gaze. "If that's what you want, Ashley. Say you want the same thing, too."

Her breathing quickened as feelings and emotions that she'd tried to squash clamored inside her. He offered heaven, but since she'd visited hell once already, she was hesitant to place her fragile heart in his hand. He'd already walked away once. True, she'd allowed it. Hell, she'd even scampered in the opposite direction herself with her tail tucked between her legs. But, all too often, if something sounded to good be true, it usually _was._

Too confused to form coherent thoughts, she shook her head as she scrambled off his chest. Was this misguided pity? Was he simply worried because of her deteriorated state? Could he possibly mean the words he'd said? There were too many unanswered questions and not enough answers. "I need to think," she mumbled, her face pale as she looked at him and shook her head.

"Ashley." Dave frowned, trying to catch her arm as she rolled off the bed, wrapping a sheet from the bed around her body as she came to her feet. Staring at her back as she fiddled with the sheet, he watched her shake her head quickly from side to side.

"I need to think," she repeated, padding quickly across the floor to the bathroom and closing the door behind her, desperate to escape…to find a way to put herself back together before she faced him again.

Growling in frustration as the door closed between them, he groaned into his hands as he rubbed them against his face. "Damn it," he muttered. He yearned to simply cross the room and barge through the barrier that separated them and demand that she trust him…. that she love him back as much as he loved her. Instinctively, he knew that kind of caveman routine would only send her retreating further into her shell.

He'd inflicted a lot of damage in the six months he'd spent avoiding her. And that kind of devastation wasn't something he could fix with a few pretty words and an offer of a relationship. These were facts that he had to face. She needed time. Hell, as much as he hated it, he owed her all the time she wanted to take, he admitted grimly to himself.

Rolling to his feet as he heard the shower start in the bathroom, he crossed the room, resting a hand against the cool wood of the door. "Ashley, I'm going downstairs to start breakfast," he called out, straining to hear any sound from inside the other room.

Giving up a moment later, he snagged a shirt from his closet, not bothering to button it as he gave the bathroom one last longing glance. She'd said she needed to think. Who could blame her? After six months of silence between them, he'd just lowered the bomb that he wanted a relationship with her? She was entitled to her confusion….and her privacy.

Inside the steamy bathroom, Ashley tilted her face up to the gentle spray of the shower as she tried to untangle the knots of her emotions. It would be so easy to just blindly believe what he'd said earlier, to take the words at face value and simply throw herself into whatever time he offered her. But the older, wiser part of her….that part of her mind that automatically kicked into self-protective mode any time someone offered her happiness was skeptical.

Why now, that voice in her mind chided her. David Rossi hurt you. Perhaps not intentionally, but the pain was the same either way. Can you really afford to suffer that way again when he becomes bored? Right now, he feels sorry for you, the voice continued whispering. He'll give you a few weeks of his attention, nurse you through this most recent shock and trauma, but then what? He wasn't interested in what you had to offer him before; why should now be any different? What changed?

Pressing the heels of her wet hands against her stinging eyes, Ashley leaned her head against the wall of the shower as the water pelted her. "Nothing has changed," she whispered in a hushed voice. "Including the fact that I'm still in love with him." She'd tried changing her life. She'd found a new career…a new apartment….but nothing had assuaged the feelings she had for that man.

What was this sick pattern she had developed for wanting love from men that weren't capable of returning her love? First with her father….with every boyfriend she'd ever had…now, with Dave? It was like a cycle she couldn't break.

She'd tried. She'd genuinely thrown herself into getting over David Rossi, concentrating her energy on a new job. And yet….when he'd appeared on her doorstep last night, she'd thrown herself into her arms and clung for dear life.

Reaching a hand out, she twisted off the water valve and reached for a towel, drying her face as she emerged from the shower. Patting her body dry, she bit her lip as she noted the light bruises where his hands had gripped her last night, the reddened skin where his whiskers had abraded her skin...and her body went hot at the memory. She'd loved every second she'd spent in his embrace, his lips moving against her skin, his tongue lapping against her flesh.

He'd been generous and tender, taking the time to bring her to peak after peak of pleasure. And yet, he'd taken nothing in return despite her willingness. It made no sense to her confused mind at all.

Wrapping a towel around her, she turned to the door, hesitantly opening it to face him and found the bedroom empty. She could hear him moving downstairs and knew he hadn't gone far, the scent of frying bacon teasing her nostrils. Moving across the room, she picked up the shirt he'd worn last night and buried her face in the soft material.

Quickly wrapping it around her, she buttoned it hastily and looked around the floor for her discarded panties. Shimmying into them, she turned to face the mirror and combed her fingers through her damp hair.

She couldn't hide here forever. Eventually, he'd come searching for her if only to insist she eat.

She had to face him.

And hope that God granted her the strength to articulate a decision she wasn't prepared to make.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Hello, friends! Quick announcement – For anyone interested, the June challenge (The Wedding Bells Challenge) is posted and available for signups at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. We hope to see you there!**_

_**As always, thanks for reading!**_

* * *

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Twelve**

Padding down the wooden steps barefoot, Ashley paused just outside the kitchen door, the scent of tangy bacon almost tempting. His back was to her as he poured steaming coffee into to mugs, and she smiled when, without turning, he spoke.

"Lurking is unladylike, piccola. Come in and sit down."

Embarrassed, Ashley sighed as her fingers toyed with the cuffs of his shirt. Too big, it swallowed her hands and her body alike and flowed around her thighs like a nightgown as she eased forward. Slipping into the warm kitchen, she slid onto a stool in front of the kitchen island. "Sorry," she mumbled, "I'm not used to being in a house with anyone else," she apologized.

"Personally, I'm enjoying the company." Dave smiled, sliding a loaded plate in front of her. "Hope you like toast with gravy. Supplies around here are limited, but I managed to find a loaf of bread in the freezer. I'm going to need a trip out to the store this morning."

Picking up her fork, Ashley picked at her food. "I don't usually eat breakfast," she muttered as she grimaced. "This is a lot."

"You don't usually eat, _period_," Dave corrected. "Just try and manage as much as you can," he encouraged, carrying his plate to the stool beside hers.

She choked down a few bites, but the conversation they'd started earlier upstairs sat between them, a barrier to any pleasant commentary they might have had this morning. She wasn't ready to tackle it, and she couldn't avoid him. She was stuck.

"Ashley," Dave said quietly, turning his head to look at her when she dropped the fork back to her plate, most of the food untouched, "Relax."

"I'm fine," she lied tightly, keeping her eyes on her plate.

"You are a truly _bad_ liar," Dave snorted, wiping his lips with his napkin. "You are almost vibrating with tension…afraid to say a word. Upstairs…I shouldn't have sprung things on you like that. I'm sorry."

Did that mean he was sorry he'd said it when he had or sorry he'd said it at all, Ashley asked herself in confusion as she looked up at him. Stiffening, her eyes darkened as they met his.

"Okay, I can already see you've misunderstood me," Dave murmured, reaching out and gently pulling her around on the stool to face him, her legs tucked between his where she couldn't escape without falling over him.

"Dave," Ashley began, dropping her gaze as she shook her head.

"Hey," he soothed, capturing her chin and tilting it up, "Just listen to me for a second. Please?" Pausing as she slowly looked at him again, he took a deep breath. "I meant everything I said upstairs. Every single word, but that doesn't mean you were ready to hear it. My timing left a lot to be desired. Right now, I just want you to learn that you can trust me again. I just want a chance to show you that you can depend on me."

"It's not as though you abandoned me," Ashley muttered uncomfortably. "If that's how I made you feel…."

"That's what I did," Dave said sharply, unwilling to be let off the hook. "I let my pride and my ego dictate my actions six months ago. I thought that by not seeing you….I'd…."

"Forget me?" Ashley whispered, hurt shining in her eyes.

"That could never happen," Dave replied huskily. "But I admit that I did think some distance between us would dull the ache. Obviously, I was deluded. I still hurt. Every single day. And I think it was the same for you, wasn't it?"

Ashley shrugged stiffly. "I got by."

"Getting by is a hell of a lot different that living, Ash," Dave pointed out gently. "The bottom line is that you trusted me and I let you down. I'm sorrier for that than you'll ever know."

"I wasn't your cross to bear," Ashley denied. "It wasn't your job to hold my hand, Dave."

"It should have been," Dave whispered, tightening his fingers around her slim hand. "If I'd been more of a man and less of a coward, it _would_ have been."

"It's in the past," Ashley declared briskly, shaking her head. She needed to get her bearings. She was sliding down some unknown slippery slope, and she wasn't enjoying the ride.

"You're right," he agreed. "It is. So, I want to make one thing clear about the future," he said meaningfully as he squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere again. If one of us walks away now, it'll be you, cara. And this time, I'll be right behind you. This time I won't give up without one hell of a fight."

Her tongue thickened in her mouth as her breathing quickened. It would be so easy to fall into his arms right now….to just blindly trust that he meant everything he said.

"Ash?"

"I….we….can't go back," she said hoarsely, the words ripped from her throat.

"No, but we can take a step forward," Dave replied evenly.

Blinking, she floundered. "I need to call the prison and talk to the warden. They're releasing my father's remains today and his possessions. I need to focus my energy on that. Right now, I can't think about anything else." Closing her eyes, she grumbled, "And unless another war broke out overnight, I'm pretty sure I'll have to figure out how to navigate the media without punching a reporter in the nose."

"Won't be a problem," Dave returned easily. "If there's any punching to be done, I'll do it."

Opening her eyes, Ashley stared at him. "The last time you socked a reporter, you almost never got back into JJ's good graces. I'm not going to be responsible for that woman murdering you. And I'm fairly certain she will if she had to try to smooth over another incident."

"She'd make an exception for this," Dave returned, unconcerned. "You aren't going up there alone, Ashley. I remember all too well what happened the last time."

"He's dead," Ashley replied distantly. "He can't hurt me anymore."

Oh, how he disagreed with that statement. That bastard was still torturing her, dead or not. "You aren't going alone," he reiterated.

She shook her head. "Dave, how will it look if the serial killer's daughter _and_ the man that was responsible for apprehending him walk into the penitentiary together? People might see you as sympathetic. It wouldn't be good for your reputation."

"Ask me how much of a shit I give regarding what other people think of me?" he challenged her. "Go ahead, ask me."

"Dave, please," Ashley whispered as she cringed. "Don't make this harder than it has to be. There's no reason I can't…"

"Go into a building full of psychotic lunatics alone and unarmed? It's not happening," he stated firmly. "It wouldn't have happened six months ago if I'd been just a little quicker on the uptake. If you want to go, it'll be with me, or not at all."

He wasn't going to bend, she thought tiredly. He had that determined glint in his obsidian eyes, that defiant set in his jaw. "Fine," she mumbled, "But, don't say I didn't warn you."


End file.
